Bevel-gearing.



No. 635,875. Patented Oct. 3|, I899. W. 0. SMITH.

BEVEL GEABING.

(Application filed. may 23, 1898.)

(No el.)

0.. WASHINGTON u c lhvrrno STATES PATENT @rrica.

WILLIAM 0. SMITH, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

BE VEL-GEARING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,875, dated October31, 1899.

Application filed May 23, 1898, Serial No. 681,418. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, WILLIAM 0. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bevel- Gearing; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will en able others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in bevel-gearing, and moreparticularly to an improved construction of the contacting portionsthereof, whereby friction is lessened, lost motion is avoided, andconsequent greater ease and steadiness of operation are secured.

In the drawings herewith accompanying and forming a part of thisapplication, Figures 1 and 2 are horizontal sections of portions of themembers of a bevel-gearing, Fig. 1 taken on a line passing between therecesses and Fig. 2 taken on a line passing through the recesses. Fig. 3is an elevation of both in embers in operative position. Figs. at, 5,and 6 are diagrammatic views showing the operation of the two members.Figs. 7 and 8 are also diagrammatic views showing, respectively, depthof recesses and movement of elements therein; and Fig. 9 is adiagrammatic view showing the movable elements traveling on a curvedsurface.

Same letters of reference refer to like parts in all the figures.

I am aware that it is not novel in plain gearing or a gear and sprocketto have movable connecting and operating elements confined in therecesses in one of the members and being operated on by the projectionsor equivalent elements of the other member; but so far as known this hasbeen applied only to plain gears, where the motion of the movableelements of the combination is a radial motion taken with reference-tothe center of rotation of the gear or rotarymotion in which the axis ofthe movable element always has a fixed position relative to the gear.

My invention consists in forming in the bevel-face of the members of abevel-gearing recesses extending at right angles to the plane of thebevel at predetermined and regular spaces around the gear, the recessesin one member containing movable elements,

'4, 5, and 6.

said recesses being equal approximately to the semidiameter of saidmovable elements. I provide also means for retaining said movableelements in their recesses, but leaving said movable elements exposed tothe action of the projections formed at regular and predetermined spaceson the bevel-face of the other member of the gearing.

It further consists in the peculiar conformation of the projections ofthe fixed members of the gearing.

In said drawings, arepresents one member, and B the other, of abevel-gearing having any inclination to each other. In the bevel-face ofthe gear is made a series of projections R and recesses L, extendingcircumferentially around the gears and spaced apart to the requireddistance. Movable elements m are mounted in said recesses. The recessesextend at right angles to the plane of the bevelface of the gears. Themovable elements may be retained in their recesses in one of said gearsin any convenient manner-as, for example, by means of a flange 41, whichprojects slightly over the recesses, but not sufficiently close to themovable elements to prevent them from havinga slight motion in a planeat right angles to the bevel-face. The gears have their projectionsspaced apart, so as to engage the movable elements as the gears rotate.The contacting portions of these projections project into the space Rbetween the movable elements in the opposite member and contact withsaid movable elements, causing them to move in their recesses slightlyin a plane at right angles to the bevel.

The projections in each gear may be curved in cross-section, as seen atH, to correspond substantially with the curvature of the movableelements with which they contact when said movable elements arespherical. 4

The several positions which the movable elements (here shown to bespheres) take while in operating contact are illustrated in Figs.

In Fig. 4 it has just entered contact, in Fig. 5 it has reached thecentral point of contact, andin Fig. 6 it is just emerging from contact.It will be seen that a line passing through the points of contact of themembers a and B with the movable element while in operation passes alsothrough the center of the movable element. This obviates all tendency toforce the gears apart, the force being constantly exerted in the line ofa diameter of the movable element, the motion of the movable elementbeing a tilting motion, with a constant point on the circumference ofthe movable element on the edge of the recess as a center, the tiltingmotion being further illustrated in Fig. 8. Substantially the sameresult is secured if the outer portion of the recess in which themovable element rests is made slightly flaring, as seen at O in Fig. 9,so that said movable element in its movement out of and into its recessmay roll on a curved line, in which case instead of the movable elementhaving a constant point of tilting contact on the outer edge 0 of thewall of the recess as a center the contact-point of the movable elementchanges; but the movable element in this case has a rolling motion on acurved surface, so that in both cases the movable element moves in acurved line in a plane X X at right angles to the bevel-face, the twomovements being illustrated in Figs 8 and 9, respectively.

The advantages of my improved gearing are less friction,and consequentlygreater ease of operation. It wears longer and requires lesslubrication. It also renders it much less difficult to cut theprojections on the bevelgears, because they may be shaped with ordinarymachine-tools, while, as is well known, the cutting of the projectionson common bevel-gears requires intricate and special machinery.

Having thus described my invention and its use, I claim- 1. In abevel-gearing, members whose peripheral faces are each provided with aseries of recesses, balls and means for retaining the same in therecesses of one member, said means being spaced apart from said ballswhen seated in their recesses, whereby said balls may have a slightrocking movement, during contact, on the edges of the recesses in eachmember.

2. In a bevel-gearing, members whose peripheral faces are each providedwith a series of recesses, movable elements and means for retaining eachin one of said recesses, each recess in the gearing in which a movableelement is retained being adapted to register with a recess in theopposite member, said last-named recess being open except when incontact with the movable element of the firstnamed recess and having aportion of its wall cut away to make clearance for said retaining means.

3. In a bevel-gearing, members whose peripheral faces are each providedwith a series of recesses, balls and means for retaining the same in therecesses of one member, said means being spaced apart from said ballswhen seated in their recesses, whereby said balls may have a slightrocking movement, during contact, on the edges of the recesses in eachmember, said edges conforming substantially to the shape of said balls,the curvature of a large circle of the balls being at least equal to thecurvature of the edges of the recesses, whereby a large bearing-surfaceis atforded and great strength in the wall of each recess secured.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses,this 21st day of May, 1808.

WVILLIAM C. SMITII.

\Vitnesses:

ELGIN G. VERRILL, NATHAN CLIFFORD.

